The Mystique of Romance
by SilverLiningSheep
Summary: Tired of being friendzoned by Ladybug, Adrien turns to Plagg for love advice. The little kwami has two simple words to solve all his problems: Love Potion.
1. Chapter 1

Mad typing was all that could be heard in Adrien Agreste's bedroom. Plagg sat on the computer desk, uninterested in what Adrien was looking at.

"Hey, do you think you could order more camembert?"

Plagg eyed his chosen when there was no response.

"HEY! Do you think you could order more camembert?" he tried again with more force than the last time.

Adrien huffed and rolled his chair back. "I know I'm going to regret asking you this but…" he paused, unsure if he was asking the right person. Not that he had many other options to begin with. "You've been alive for thousands of years. You've seen everything. Do you have any advice when it comes to…" He paused and gave Plagg a pleading look as if he expected the kwami to be mean.

His kwami raised an eyebrow in question and Adrien sucked in a breath, bracing himself for the worst. "...love?"

Plagg's eyes widened, not expecting that to be his question. Just like Adrien predicted, his response was soaked with sarcasm. "Adrien Agreste, THE famous model...needing love advice?" He raised an eyebrow. "PLEASE! You just exist and get girls."

Adrien looked down. "...not the right one."

Plagg heaved and rolled his eyes muttering to himself. "Look, I can't help you with your… Ladybug problem."

Adrien looked up with a pleading expression. "Come on Plagg, you've seen it all! I'm sure you have SOMETHING that can help me!" He pointed to his computer screen. "I've followed all these steps and nothing is working. I'm doomed!"

Plagg peered at the computer and scanned the page he was on.

"See this?" Adrien scrolled down on the page. "Step 7, stay out of the friend zone." He gave Plagg a dumbfounded expression. "They say to flirt to avoid being in the friend zone but no matter how much I flirt with her, look where I end up! The friend zone!" He slammed his head down on his desk and huffed in frustration. "None of these articles are working!"

Plagg stared back at Adrien. "I said I can't help you with Ladybug."

Adrien tilted his head sideways and narrowed his eyes at him. "Thanks for always being there for me, Plagg."

"Don't mention it," his kwami responded and leaned backwards. "Now to more serious matters. Where's my camembert?"

With a roll of his eyes, Adrien sat up and arranged his fingers on his keyboard. "How to make a girl fall for you," he said out loud as he typed the sentence out. He clicked enter and began scrolling through various articles. There had to be one piece of advice from these articles that would help him out!

His eyes lit up when he came across one article that looked promising. "How to make a girl fall in love with you. 37 proven tricks," Adrien read out loud. He ignored Plagg's snort and scrolled his mouse down the page. Each tip and trick listed weren't anything special and he huffed, having read them all for what felt like for the millionth time. He shoved his mouse out of his hand and it went sailing across the top of the desk. "I might as well give up. I'll never be able to win Ladybug's heart." He sunk his head in his hands and sighed.

Plagg blinked and smirked slightly. "I have an idea."

Adrien's head flew up in a flash. "What!?" He stared wide eyed at his kwami who acted so nonchalant.

"I said that I have an idea," Plagg casually blew on his tiny claws and shook them out, acting as if he couldn't care less about Adrien's problem.

"Tell me!"

Adrien was practically begging and it made Plagg smirk on the inside. "Two words." He lifted a paw. "Love potion."

Adrien staggered and closed his open mouth. He had seen love potions in the movies and they always turned out badly. Plus, he could never do that to his Lady. That would be like trying to drug her and that would be betraying her trust. He shook his head. "I can't do that Plagg. Not to her."

Plagg rolled his eyes. "You're not hurting her. You're just having a little fun! It'll wear off in a day or so and hey," he winked. "Wouldn't it be fun having her being the one chasing YOU for once?"

Adrien's speech faltered. Thoughts of Ladybug clinging to him and kissing all over him filled his mind and he shook them off. "I-I can't." It looked like he was trying to convince only himself that it was a bad idea.

"Oh come on, Mr. Goody Two-Shoes," Plagg waved a paw and snickered. "Remember how she kissed you and didn't tell you? It'll be the same thing! She doesn't have to know and she won't, as long as you keep it on the down low." He eyed Adrien and sneered. "Finally all of your dreams will come true!" He dreamily clapped his paws together and swirled in the air, obviously imitating Adrien from all his past Ladybug daydreams.

Adrien paused, not knowing what to do. He knew it was morally wrong but he couldn't help but let his cat-like curiosity get the better of him. It would be more than amazing to have Ladybug not only maybe go on a date with him but also have her be all over him. He couldn't imagine how it would feel. His heartbeat increased by the mere thought.

"U-Uh u-um…"

He clamped his mouth shut and let out an awkward laugh the longer Plagg stared at him with a knowing look. "I-I can't Plagg! It just wouldn't be-"

Plagg smirked and eyed him some more. "You know you'd like it."

"I-I…" Adrien bit his tongue and lowered his voice. "I-IwouldbutIjustcan't!" A breath escaped his lips and a dreamy look appeared on his face. "I want her to fall in love with me for real."

"Well this is as close as you're gonna get so you might as well go for it," Plagg shrugged his tiny shoulders.

"I-I... n-n-" Adrien shook his head, dismissing the temptation that was growing in his head. "It wouldn't be right."

"Fine, have it your way." The little cat sat back down on the desk and casually crossed his legs. "Don't come crying to me that you missed your chance to have Ladybug at the tip of your finger." He grinned when he noticed Adrien's body tense up. "Don't get upset that you missed the chance to have Ladybug all to yourself, kissing her, taking her on dates, doing all those romantic things you have dreamt about doing for her. She'd be in love with only you… Adrien Agre-"

"Okay!" Adrien squeezed his eyes shut and huffed loudly. "I-I'll do it!"

"So you're not as dumb as you look," Plagg spat and grinned an evil grin. "Trust me, you'll be thanking me later." He pulled out a piece of paper and handed a pen to Adrien. "I'll give you a recipe that works."

Adrien bit his lip and scrunched his shoulders. Was he really going to go through with this? He wasn't really drugging her… was he?

"Okay, so here." Plagg pointed at the paper. "Write all these down."

He was really drugging her, wasn't he? The pen moved along the paper, copying every inch of what Plagg had said to him.

Adrien swallowed hard and instantly regretted agreeing to it. "I-I don't know if I can… do this…"

Having enough of his chosen's hesitations, Plagg puffed out a chunk of air form his lungs. "Think of it as putting her under a quick spell. I don't see how it's any different than being put under an akuma." Seeing Adrien press his lips together, he continued. "Look, she'll be fine afterwards. It's not permanent. It's just a little harmless fun!" He grabbed onto Adrien's right hand and pulled him forward. "Live a little!"

Adrien's eyes glanced down at his desk as he murmured in fear. "What if there's side effects?"

"There's none," Plagg said as a matter of factly. "She'll be back to her normal self when it wears off. There's nothing to worry about."

Adrien twisted his lips. "Have… have you done this before?"

Plagg let out a large laugh. "Have I? You're kidding right?"

That earned an eyebrow quirk from Adrien as he let the curiosity fill him up. "You did?"

Plagg snorted. "Oh yeah, a bunch of times actually." He elbowed Adrien. "Get this, you'll love the irony. I did this on Ladybug's kwami once."

Adrien's eyes widened. "On Ladybug's kwami?!"

"Yep!" He placed a paw proudly on his chest. "It was great fun!"

Adrien bit his lip and eyed Plagg nervously. "I'm worried about this Plagg."

"Trust me," the black kwami smirked. "Unlike the fake recipes you find on the internet, this one actually works. It's a kwami's secret recipe."

"That's not what I'm worried about…" Adrien trailed off and bit his lip.

A sarcastic scoff was thrown Adrien's way as Plagg raised his paws in the air. "There's nothing to worry about! I've done it! It's nothing but innocent fun!"

Adrien couldn't believe he was about to go through with this. His Lady… He was an awful person and he wanted to punish the Chat Noir side of his brain for agreeing to it. His mind filled with horrible thoughts of all what could go wrong. What if the recipe hurt her? He'd never forgive himself! Plagg said the recipe was safe… he could be trusted… right?

"I-I," he stammered and shakily inhaled. "O-O-O-Okay. Let's do it." He pulled out his Chat Noir bravery and jotted down the list of the ingredients from the website Plagg found.

Sneaking out his window as Chat Noir and detransforming back to Adrien when he was a comfortable distance away from the mansion, he made a beeline to the grocery store to gather the needed items. The trip went by faster as he really only needed to be in two isles. He picked up some sweet spices and placed them in his shopping basket.

"Cinnamon, cloves, anise," he read off, scratching out the items on a piece of paper.

Next was pure spring water. Adrien stared at all of the bottled water he could choose from. He stood, confused on which was the best option. "How do I know which is the best?"

He heard Plagg mutter from under his shirt. "Just pick one. It doesn't matter."

Adrien checked the labels on every single type of water available. He nodded with approval at a certain bottle design that contained a pink flower. Flowers indicated freshness and romance. This water had to be the best.

His eyes skimmed the list for the remaining items. "Rose petals?" he asked out loud. "Where would they be?"

Plagg stuck his head out of his pocket. "Just pick two off a flower in the flower shop."

Adrien gasped. "That's stealing!"

"Do you want Ladybug in love with you or not?" Plagg rolled his eyes and Adrien sighed.

"Fine but I'm buying it."

He made his way to the flower shop and purchased one rose. The cashier was kind and rang his other items through also. Paying for them, he thanked the cashier and left the store, hurrying back home as fast as he could.

Adrien transformed into Chat Noir again and with the bag in hand, he shot his staff in the air to have him land on a rooftop. He loved travelling by rooftop. He took a few steps, preparing himself to run but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw red and black polka dots.

"L-L-L-L-Ladybug!?" Chat's eyes boggled and his heart instantly panicked. He swiped the bag behind his back and smiled as innocently as he could. Seeing her smiling face sent pings of guilt through his gut. He was tempted to do nothing else but throw his grocery bag off the roof.

"Hi Chat Noir! Fancy meeting you here!"

He did his best to act naturally. "U-Uh yeah! You too!" He laughed nervously and coughed, guilt pouring through his veins. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on patrol," she studied him. "It's my turn tonight, remember?"

"O-Oh," he mentally slapped himself for forgetting.

"Did you forget and think it was your turn?" Ladybug placed a hand to her mouth and giggled. "Silly Kitty."

Chat Noir wanted nothing more than to cradle her in his arms and apologize for the sinful act he'd be committing soon. No, it was for fun. Just a joke right? Harmless fun?

"Y-Yeah I forgot."

"Tsk tsk," she stood from where she was seated and flicked his bell. "Well go home and get some rest." She winked. "I got this."

He smashed his lips against each other and nodded, unable to say anything else.

She swung her yo-yo out and gave him a quick wave. "Our joint patrol is tomorrow night. Don't forget that one!" With a swish of her arm, she flew out into the open sky.

Chat stood there dumbfounded, mouth agape. His eyes were glued to Ladybug's beauty and he was loving the way her hair looked as she ascended through the night sky. She was breathtaking and Chat found himself having trouble swallowing. He felt all reason drain out of his head and the intense craving of having her in his arms took over. It was just one night. One little short evening. Then he'd never do it again! What harm was it to just hold her close once?

With those thoughts in his head, he traveled back home and detransformed, getting ready for bed. His hands shook in anticipation for tomorrow night's adventures. Tomorrow night he could finally feel his Lady in his arms. He spent the next half hour jotting down all of the fun things he wanted them to do together.

Going on a date to the fanciest restaurant in town, maybe going for a cute romantic stroll while holding hands, of course. Adrien's heart was tingling and he was having trouble breathing. He was going to make sure Ladybug knew just how much he loved her.

* * *

Tomorrow night arrived sooner than Adrien thought. He had to wait until decently late in order to make the potion. He couldn't have interruptions. He snuck into the kitchen as quiet as a mouse and began making his masterpiece. As quickly as a speed of light, the ingredients were in a pot simmering away. It smelled delicious to his surprise and he stirred it every few minutes.

"S-So do I give it to her straight or do I put it in something?" Adrien asked his kwami who was munching away on some camembert.

Plagg snorted in response and swallowed his mouthful. "Put it in tea. Just make sure to mark which cup is hers so she gets it and not you."

Adrien laughed. What idiot would drink his own potion? "I know Plagg." He showed him the two cups he was going to be using. "Ladybug's is the one with the red flowers and mine is green."

His kwami nodded. "Don't forget to stir the pot."

Adrien eyes lit up. It had been awhile since he last stirred. Spoon in hand, he gave his creation a nice long stir.

With a plop, Plagg dropped something into the liquid.

"What did you put in it?" Adrien asked, suddenly concerned.

A wink was sent his way. "A special kwami ingredient."

The timer went off sooner than expected and he smiled. Patrol started in fifteen minutes. The timing was perfect! He poured a generous helping of the mixture into Ladybug's marked red cup and poured the rest down the sink. He was only going to do this once. Quickly brewing some hot water, tea bags were dunked into each cup. The two cups were filled to the brim with the steaming water and Adrien let out a long jittery breath. To say he was nervous was an understatement. Fears of being caught filled his mind and he leaned down to gently sniff both cups. He purposely picked out a stronger chai tea so the scent of his potion would be covered up by the tea smell. His nose traveled from one cup to the other and he couldn't tell that one had extra ingredients.

Plagg laughed at Adrien's nervousness. "Have fun kid. Don't stay out too late." He winked.

Adrien raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of how Plagg was acting. Should he be worried?

* * *

 **DUN DUN DUUUUUN. Stay tuned for the next chapter! Will Adrien finally have his sweet Lady under his fingertips?**


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien jumped slightly at his watch beeping. That was the patrol ten minute mark. He had to hurry out there! Carefully balancing the tea cups, Adrien ran upstairs to his room to transform. The bedroom window flew open and out Chat Noir went. Trying not to spill the tea cups proved to be rather challenging but they survived and he landed on their meeting spot in due time.

Ladybug was standing there waiting for him. "Oh, there you-" Her words stopped when she noticed the dishes in his hands. "What's with the tea cups?"

Chat felt the colour drain from his face as his eyes met his Lady's. "U-U-Uh…" He chewed his bottom lip. Don't ruin this!

"I-I thought we could warm up with some tea before we sailed off," he flashed her a toothy smile and prayed she'd agree to it.

She smiled. "That's sweet of you Chat. Sure, why not." She took a seat down on the roof and with a shaky hand, he handed her a tea cup. She took it happily and sniffed it.

Chat's mind drew a blank as he stood there, watching her. He grinded his teeth down and hoped she wouldn't notice the smell being off.

"This smells so delicious!" she beamed. "It smells like chai."

He nodded rather quickly. "Y-Yeah it's chai!" He took a seat next to her after noticing how awkward he was being. Chat held his own up and gently blew on it. It had cooled down a bit from being outside so he was able to take a sip right away. His eyes were on Ladybug like a hawk and he watched every movement, gauging on whether the potion had worked. She had taken a few sips and seemed perfectly fine still. Perhaps the potion needed some time to sink in. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt his hands shaking so badly that he thought he'd drop his cup.

Ladybug gently sipped her warm tea and held the cup between two hands. It was a chilly night so she was happy that Chat had thought of the brilliant idea of having tea. She took another sip and felt the warmth travel down her throat. When she opened her eyes, she leaned back, almost spilling her drink.

"Uh, hi Chat."

Her neck was stretched backwards and she could feel Chat Noir's breath on her face. He had a goofy grin on his face.

"Hi M'Lady!" he leaned even closer, chasing her backwards. "Why are you the prettiest thing in the universe?"

Ladybug placed the green flowered tea cup in its saucer on the roof next to her hip. It would spill if she continued to hold it. "Uh, do you mind backing up a bit?" Her hands were placed on the shingles by her waist for balance. "You're a little close, don't you think?"

"Nope!" Chat's cheek rubbed up against hers and Ladybug could swear she could hear the faint sound of purring. "I love being close to the woman I love."

Ladybug began crab walking backwards but each time she moved, Chat scooted closer.

"Chat could you please back up?" She was beginning to feel uncomfortable by her partner's actions. He never got all up in her face and always respected her personal space. What had gotten into him tonight?

A frown appeared on his face the more she pushed him away. "I love you Ladybug."

A nervous chuckle filled the air as Ladybug gave him a look of pity. She knew he loved her but even still, hearing him say it with such honesty in his voice made her heart flutter. "I-I know but you don't need to get this close."

"Yes I do!" Chat stood up on his knees and clasped his hands together like a prayer. "I want to cuddle you and let you know how much I love you and hold you close and protect you and-"

He continued to ramble and Ladybug couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. Sure he made his feelings clear but he never acted like this. It was strange.

"Chat," Ladybug interrupted his string of words. "Are you okay?"

He stopped talking and flashed his Lady a charming cat grin. "Of course I'm okay! I've got you!"

Ladybug raised an eyebrow at him. "No really, what's going on? You're acting… strange." She backed up again, sliding her body across the shingles as Chat thrusted himself forward.

"Chat!" she cried out, bracing herself.

"Hug me LB! Hug me!" Chat stretched his arms wide and collided with her.

Warm arms wrapped themselves around her and Ladybug stiffened. Was Chat sick? What happened to him? It was definitely not normal Chat behaviour. "I think you need to get some rest. Maybe the cold's gotten to you." She felt him shake his head.

"Only if you come with me."

She sighed and began pushing his body away from hers. He had quite the grip on her.

"Please let go Chat."

Seriousness filled her voice but for whatever reason, Chat didn't catch her annoyance and only hugged harder.

She groaned as her muscles worked themselves. With enough force she successfully pulled away from him and let out a breath as he collapsed to his knees, whining. She had no idea what was wrong with him but clearly something was up. "Chat, I need you to listen to me." She stared into his eyes and was happy he obediently followed. "I need you to go home and sleep off whatever this is, okay?"

Being difficult seemed to be Chat's game tonight and he shook his head, grabbing onto her shoulders. "But Ladybuuuug!" He whined, nuzzling his head into her shoulder. "I love you!" A few nuzzles were enough for him to be pushed back rather roughly.

"Please." She was begging now. Perhaps he had too much to drink? He was under age but maybe he got into some by accident somehow?

"I love you Ladybug! I love you more than anything!" He stood up, arms outstretched. "I LOVE LADYBUG!" The volume of his voice was earsplitting and she was sure the entire city of Paris heard him.

"Chat, shh!" She placed a finger to her lips but Chat wasn't listening.

"I WANT LADYBUG TO MARRY ME!"

She tackled him to the ground with her hand across his mouth. She was now on top of him but that fact wasn't her focus. "You have to be quiet!" she whispered loudly. Chat had a dopey grin on his face and his eyes were squinted. "Can we be this close forever?"

Ladybug huffed and pinned his arms above his head. There was no resistance. Chat just laid there helplessly with that stupid grin. She leaned over him and accidentally pushed harder on his wrists when he started giggling. "Chat I'm worried about you…" she trailed off and gazed up at the starry night. "I just really want you to be okay. Please listen to me."

That seemed to work and Chat's ears drooped. "No! Don't be sad Ladybug! I'll do anything! I love you!"

Ladybug eyed him and gave him a small smile. "It would make me happier than anything else if you just went home to go to bed."

"But then I'd be away from you…"

The hurt in his voice was intense and Ladybug had to remember that he was drunk and most likely wouldn't remember anything after this.

"If you miss me you can…" She thought about what to tell him to make him do as she wanted. "Um…" What could she get him to do?

"I'll always miss you but I know you're deep right in my heart!" Chat announced proudly. "You're always deep with me and I love you and I always think about you and always hope we can spend the entire day together and you're the best Ladybug! I want to make you happy always and even have kids with you someday when we're older and even get a pet hamster named-"

Chat put a halt on his rant when he heard Ladybug shushing him.

"Chat Noir," she let go of his right wrist and brushed his loose bangs out of his one eye. "Which direction is your house?"

"Your direction!"

Ladybug slapped her forehead and tried again. "Is your house there or there or?" Her finger pointed in all directions.

"I want my house wherever you are!" Chat leaned up as if to sit but Ladybug pushed him back down on his back.

"You need to get home safely and go to bed. Could you call me when you get home safe?" Ladybug furrowed her eyebrows and wondered if him travelling on his own as a good idea.

"I always want to call you! I could talk to you for hours," he beamed and winked causing Ladybug to roll her eyes.

She stood up and was on guard for anymore of Chat's surprise hugs. She held out her hands as she began backing up. "Make sure to call me okay? Please don't forget."

Chat remained on the ground and nodded, giggling like a little girl.

Ladybug took that as a means to escape. She'd get home and stay as Ladybug for a few minutes until Chat called her. That is, if he even did. From the state he was in, she almost wanted to follow him to make sure he traveled home safe but she couldn't without learning his identity. With a flick of her wrist, she swung her yo-yo and soared from building to building. Eventually she made it home and landed on her balcony. Taking a seat in her chair, she crossed her legs and held up her yo-yo, waiting for Chat's call.

Many minutes passed and she heard nothing. She wanted to try to call Chat herself but she feared him getting distracted and not paying attention to where he was going. She didn't need him getting lost.

She tilted her head back in her chair in wonder. What did Chat have to drink tonight? He was completely out of it. He seemed fine when he first got there but his condition plummeted the later the night went on.

Her ears twitched when she heard a faint cry. An akuma?

She stood up quickly and leaned over her railing to try to get closer. What was that noise?

"Lay!"

Lay? She really focused her ears, trying to pinpoint what the person was saying. Before she could get anymore closer to figuring it out, the sound found her.

"Ladybug is the best! She's my favourite! I'm singing for heeeeer!"

Her heart sunk and she squeezed her eyes shut. Please don't make it be…

"I love her and I love singing and we go together like love does!"

Ladybug opened one eye and immediately covered her eyes with her hands. Chat was walking down the streets of Paris, singing loudly for all to hear.

She shrunk down behind her railing. The last thing she needed was for Chat to spot her.

"We're going to get married and have kids and buy a big house!" Chat yelled out in a singsong voice. He coughed. "I think we're a great paaaaaaair!"

Ladybug inwardly cringed. What should she do? She couldn't let Chat wake up the entire city but she also barely got away last time. If she ran out to him and told him to be quiet, he'd be glued to her again. She felt guilty as she sat there, contemplating on what to do as Chat walked past her, practically marching.

"I love Ladybuuuuug!"

His voice echoed, bouncing off the buildings on either side of him and she knew it wouldn't be long before someone complained.

Ladybug watched as he walked down the street until he was practically out of view. She sighed and listened for anymore noise. The night was silent and a deep breath was exhaled through her mouth. Either he was too far away from her or he had cut out the singing. She remained squatting behind her railing, awaiting Chat's call.

But it never came.

Twenty full minutes passed by and nothing. She was worried about him but there was nothing to be done about it now.

"Tikki, spots off."

Landing in her bed, Marinette rolled onto her back and groaned. Guilt ate her alive as she tossed and turned for what felt like an hour. She should have gotten him and dealt with the clinginess. What was wrong with her? He was her partner and she just let him wander while obviously under the influence of something!

"Stupid!" she shouted at herself and slammed a pillow over her face.

Tikki flew over top of Marinette's covered face. "Marinette?"

She flung the pillow down to her feet. "I left Chat Noir outside all alone while he's drunk!" Marinette stood to her feet and began climbing the stairs to her skylight.

"What are you doing Marinette?" Tikki questioned as her chosen climbed higher.

"I'm going out to find him."

A worried finger found itself against Tikki's mouth. She flew up and met Marinette on top of her balcony. "You're missing something."

As soon as Marinette turned around with a questioned look, a smile grew on Tikki's face. "Me!"

* * *

 **Oh Chat... what have you done?** **One more part to go after this! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien woke to the sound of cars rushing by. The gift of bad sight was granted to him as he looked around. All was dark so he couldn't tell where he was.

"What the…" he groaned, sitting himself up. Dirt covered his palms and he brushed them off on his legs. Staggering to his feet, legs wobbly, a car's headlights blinded him as it drove past.

"Where am I…?" He wondered out loud. Adrien took a few steps and hit what looked like a main road in Paris. Why was he outside? It's dark so shouldn't he be in bed?

"Plagg?" he asked out loud but was met with no response. His clawed fingers scratched his head and then it hit him that he was transformed as Chat Noir. Adrien ran back into the dark alley.

"Plagg, claws in."

He needed the comfort of his kwami. Plagg most likely knew what was going on. The second the light flashed, his shirt twitched and a loud groan was heard.

"Camembert… I need camembert…"

Plagg popped his head out of Adrien's shirt and whined louder. "Camembeeeeeert."

Poor Adrien's head was ringing and he rubbed his temples. "Please be quiet Plagg, my head hurts."

All that followed that plea was laughter.

"Uh," Adrien had no idea what Plagg was laughing about. "What?"

"I can't believe you messed that up!" Plagg was rolling around in his pocket, roaring loudly.

"Messed what up?"

"Your potion!" Plagg practically screamed. "You're hilarious! You should have seen the way you were acting around Ladybug!"

Adrien was frantic. "What! What did I do!? What happened!? I don't remember-" His mind's gears cranked and he froze as last night's events replayed in mind. He remembered brewing the tea and seeing Ladybug that night. After that, it was all a blur as he struggled to remember. "I don't…"

"You drank Ladybug's cup!" Plagg rolled around some more and giggled like a maniac. "You're so dumb!"

Adrien's face blushed and suddenly it hit him. He couldn't remember which cup he handed to Ladybug and which one he drank from. Did he even check the flower colours? A hand found its way to his forehead as he groaned, trying to pull any sort of hint from his brain. "I can't remember… I can't remember anything! Did I actually…" He stood completely still as a look of horror grew on his face.

"I acted like… that," he paused. "In front of… Ladybug." Adrien's eyes were wide and he felt like he wanted to fall into a pit.

"It was SO funny!" Plagg teased, unable to stop his laughing. "Ladybug thought you were insane!"

A frown grew on the poor boy's face as he tilted his head down in shame and embarrassment. "I-It's not funny Plagg!"

"It sure is!"

Eyes were lowered in Plagg's direction and he raised his paws in defense. "It would have worked if you gave her the right cup! Not my fault you screwed it all up!"

Plagg's loud and obnoxious teasing were neglected in Adrien's mind. All he could focus on was how much of a fool he must have looked in front of Ladybug. She probably never wanted to see him again! Part of him wanted to go find Ladybug and apologize but the other part of him was too ashamed to even speak to her.

"Plagg," he started. "What did I do to Ladybug…?" His shoulders shrugged. Hearing the answer was going to hurt and Adrien knew it. He didn't know how he had acted in order to explain his behaviour. However, he knew he had to see her eventually. What excuse could he give? He had to know how he acted in order to give a valid excuse.

The amusement on Plagg's face hadn't faded and he giggled with glee. "You were all over her and you couldn't shut up for one!" He scratched his back with his claws. "She was so confused and oh boy is she ever going to ask you what the heck you were up to when she sees you next!" He snickered. "Good luck with that one!"

A extensive groan was heard as Adrien tilted his head upward. His eyes twinkled in the sky but he squeezed them shut and curled his fingers in two fists. "This was a bad idea. I knew it was a bad idea!" He cheeks were flaming now and he could feel the nervous sweat growing on his body.

A loud car horn beeped causing Adrien to jump and cover his ears. He hissed out in pain. "Plagg, I thought you said there weren't any after effects."

"There aren't," the black kwami insisted, looking up at the boy. "The potion hasn't worn off completely."

"Great." Rolling his eyes, Adrien began walking in the direction of his home. It took a good ten minutes to figure out which direction was required in order to return home but he was on his way to the warmth of his bed.

On his walk, a sound filled his ears so he paused and listened. His heart skipped a beat and his veins flushed with nervousness as he recognized that sound.

His head lifted to the sky and above him, swinging, was the love of his life, the girl he apparently humiliated himself in front of. Adrien shrunk his head down low, hoping she wouldn't see him, forgetting that he was not Chat Noir.

She landed on a building out of sight and Adrien's feet began working overtime. He had to get out of there! How could he face her after-

"Adrien?"

His heels skidded into the sidewalk and he inwardly groaned. Just his luck. He turned around with a smile. "O-Oh hi Ladybug!"

Her eyebrows were furrowed as she studied him all over. "Why are you out at this hour? Do you know what time it is? It's dangerous!"

He could ask her the same question. Adrien could feel her staring him down and it only made the blush on his cheeks worsen. "I-I-I'm just out for a… for a walk, yeah!"

Ladybug did not look impressed in the slightest. Hands went on her hips and she leaned to the side. "It's 3am."

Adrien was all awkward laughs. "W-Well you know how us… models get!" Wow did he ever sound lame!

"You being a model makes this all worse. Someone could attack you! Here, grab on and I'll take you home immediately."

Backing away from her touch was painful and his body shivered from the thought of being in his Lady's arms once more. "I-It's okay really!" It was time to turn the tables. "Why are you out this late?"

She thought for a moment before responding. "I'm just out patrolling the city. Villains never sleep you know," she smirked playfully.

Boy did he ever know!

"Adrien…" her body turned in his direction and did she get a little closer or was it just the love potion's effects speaking?

"You really need to get home. I don't want you wandering this late." She bit her lip and looked him in the eye.

The tone in her voice flooded the guilt back into his system and Adrien frowned. He didn't want to worry her just because he was being stupid.

"O-Okay Ladybug," he pressed his lips together. "I'll go home right away." He aimed in the direction of his home to show her that he was serious and that he was listening to her.

Ladybug held out her hand. "It'll be faster if I take you there."

Adrien merely shook his head. He was already a huge inconvenience. He didn't want to do anymore damage. "You keep patrolling. You don't want to keep Chat Noir waiting." He thought that by the mention of his alter ego, the intense mood in between them would fade a bit.

"I-I" her voice faltered for a brief second. "Speaking of Chat Noir…"

Adrien's eyes followed hers and she glanced around the streets. "Have you seen him?"

The boy's heart sunk at the look Ladybug was expressing. Whatever he did must have really been bad. "Uh, n-no," he lied and pretended to be innocent. "Why? Is he okay?"

"O-Oh uh yes!" Ladybug smiled but Adrien noticed the crack in her voice. "I was just wondering if he was around."

The temptation to ask more was pushing in his throat but Adrien knew that he couldn't say anything else without blowing his cover. By the look of Ladybug's face, it seemed like mentioning his alter ego was doing more harm than good so he decided to drop it. The next time he saw her as Chat Noir, he had HUGE amounts of apologies to send her way. He was such a stupid cat!

"I'll take you up on that offer to take me home," he said, blushing from head to toe. He was seconds away from being swept off his feet by the most beautiful girl in all of Paris. The smile that stretched across her face made Adrien's heart sing.

"Thank you Adrien."

She stuck her hand out and within seconds of grabbing it, Adrien was resting in her arms. Away they went. They were so close together! Her scent was electrifying and he melted like a puddle in her arms. It was over too quick and before he knew it, they landed with a thunk on his roof. Spider-Man style, the two lowered to his window that was still open a crack.

"T-Thank you Ladybug," Adrien said, voice full of gratitude. His face was inches away from hers and he could feel his throat vibrating.

"You're very welcome." She looked down and then back up slowly.

Adrien's breath hitched from how shy she looked. Were they going to have a romantic moment!?

"Can you please do me a favour?"

With a hard thump, Adrien swallowed and nodded mindlessly; his breathing becoming rapid as she hesitated on what she was going to say next.

Her eyes met his and she raised a hand to her cheek. "Could you please refrain from going on walks this late at night?"

Romantic moment? Adrien's wishes shattered before his eyes but deep in his heart he felt joy knowing that Ladybug cared about his safety like this! Sure she probably cared about all civilians but that thought didn't cross his mind.

He blushed, embarrassed at somewhat getting scolded by his Lady, even though he very well deserved it. Nodding, he gave her a soft smile. "Of course. I'm very sorry Ladybug."

She waved a hand in front of her. "I-It's no biggie, I just um… wouldn't want you getting hurt… I say this because… I'm a superhero and all that." Her awkward laugh was too cute and Adrien's heart couldn't take much more of this.

"I know Ladybug." His jaw was shaking and he could barely get the words out. "You're a great superhero." His mouth widened when he noticed a soft pink colour form on her cheeks. Was he still under the potion's spell or was he actually seeing a blush on her?

"And you're a great model," Ladybug's eyes slid to the left as the colour in her face darkened. Her eyes suddenly went wide as she stammered. "I-I mean, you're great at what you do and um, your Dad is a great designer!"

His hands were becoming mighty sweaty but before he could say anything else, Ladybug placed him down on his window sill, taking care in keeping him balanced.

"A-Anyway, I better get going."

Ladybug's face was as red as her suit and Adrien felt bad that it was probably his weight that was hurting her and causing her to work extra hard. "You get some rest and have a good night!" She waved and flew off before Adrien could even say anything.

"Goodnight Ladybug!" He shouted out in the night sky. "And thank you!"

She was always so secretive; always scooting out before people could give her proper thanks. He made a mental note to properly thank her next time. She always took great care of that silly cat.

* * *

The next day at school sped by for Adrien. Normally he'd be happy but this time he was not. Tonight he had to face Ladybug and after the stunt he pulled, he knew he was going to get a good talking to. Maybe she'd have forgotten? He scoffed to himself. There's no way she could forget him acting like that in front of her. Sure he didn't exactly know what he actually did but Plagg had the honour of reminding him with stories all day long. Whenever they were alone, Plagg took the chance to act out some things Adrien did in front of Ladybug. Adrien hoped to god nobody filmed him as Chat raiding the streets, singing poorly about his love for Ladybug.

"Would you quit your sulking?" Plagg rolled his eyes. "I provided you with a very special love potion. It was your fault it went wrong."

"Yes, thank you for reminding me Plagg," Adrien said, voice full of sarcasm. He stayed on his bed, completely done with Plagg's mocking comments. An arm was crossed over his eyes and his knees were pointing towards the ceiling.

The kwami sighed and flew over to him. "So, what, you're never going to speak to Ladybug again? Is that your plan?"

Adrien didn't move a muscle.

Plagg landed on the side of his pillow by his head and sat with his legs crossed. "You didn't try to make a move on her, if that's what you're worried about."

"I shouldn't have even tried to feed her the potion. What happened to me was karma and I deserved it one hundred percent," Adrien admitted, not moving his hand away from his eyes.

Plagg closed his eyes and quietly groaned to himself. Adrien was going down the road of self blame. "Kid, let's not get all sappy here okay? It was a mistake, let's move on, yeah?"

Adrien sighed in response.

His phone beeped, indicating patrol time. Adrien squeezed his eyes shut, dreading having to go. He knew he had to. He couldn't treat her the way he did last night and then ditch her the next night. He had to make things right with her. There was no more hiding.

Transforming, he jumped out the window and twirled his baton like a helicopter. Chat Noir landed on the rooftop of their declared meeting spot. He swallowed what felt like glass when he saw his Lady standing there waiting for him.

Chat barely managed to put away his baton behind him before Ladybug came at him at the speed of light, almost knocking him over onto his back. His feet dug into the shingles as he remained standing.

"Oh Chat Noir! You're okay!" Ladybug cried out and held him tighter than she ever had held anyone before. The affection was short lived and Chat's ears curled in on themselves as she scolded him.

"You said you'd call me when you returned home! Did you even make it home safely that night? I was worried sick about you! Don't you ever do something like-"

"I'm sorry Ladybug…"

Ladybug blinked and put a stop to her rant.

"I'm sorry Ladybug…" Chat Noir said, head down. "I really messed up and I'm really sorry for making you worry." He clenched his teeth together and sucked in a breath. "I was being selfish and I didn't even consider your feelings."

"Consider my feelings? Chat, what do you mean?" Ladybug looked him in the eyes but he was averting his gaze.

"I-It's nothing… but I'm very sorry, more than sorry. I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you. I-"

"Chat, look at me." Ladybug placed a finger on his chin and tugged it upward to force him to look at her. His eyes were glistening and she could tell he was holding in his emotions the best he could.

Chat continued to look away from her. It was the only thing he could do to hold it in.

"I don't know exactly what happened that night," she huffed and lightly laughed. "I don't even want to know. All I wanted was to make sure you were safe." She gently hit his shoulder. "You were acting very strange!" She giggled and flicked his bell.

The ringing sound touched Chat's ears and they twitched. He inwardly cringed, hoping she wouldn't mention something he did to her that night. If she did, he knew he'd want to melt away.

Ladybug gently stroked his hair and held his head against the crook of her neck. "You're very special to me Chat Noir." A sigh escaped her lips. "Even though you sometimes annoy me to pieces, I feared that I lost you last night, that something bad happened to you."

Memories of Ladybug asking Adrien where Chat Noir was burned in his mind. She had spent god knows how many hours searching for him, meanwhile he was safe at home in his bed. He should have went back out there and found her. He should have faced the consequences then and not hid away.

She sighed and let go of him. "Come on Kitty, look me in the eyes." Ladybug tugged under his chin but Chat Noir was playing difficult. "Come on Kitty Kitty." She clicked her tongue as if to call a real cat. Her smile widened when he finally obeyed. He was blinking loads and that only made her face soften more. "It's okay Chat. I'm not mad at you silly."

Chat Noir grabbed both her shoulders and lunged forward, digging his head back in between her neck and head.

The two stood silently, only the sound of their breaths could be heard.

Chat stepped away and sighed, a small smile forming on his face. "Thanks Ladybug. I won't ever do that again. I promise. I made a huge mistake and because of that, I want to treat you. Whatever you want!"

Ladybug was taken aback. "I don't need anything, honest. Just your promise is good enough for me."

He smirked, not liking her answer. "Well that's just too bad, isn't it?" His one eye opened and closed in a slow, flirty motion. "Come to our next patrol expecting a nice treat."

She rolled her eyes and gently laughed. "I don't have a say in this, do I?"

Chat swept her hand in a soft movement and planted a sweet kiss to it. "Nope."

She swiped her hand down and looked up at him. Playing his game, Ladybug smirked and lowered her eyes, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Chat Noir gulped when her face appeared mere inches from his. He could feel the delicate puffs of her breath hit his mouth.

"Well then, I'll be looking forward to it."

She leaned away, smirking all the while at Chat Noir's dazed expression.

His mind was swirling. Was his Lady… flirting with him? He shook his head to dismiss the thoughts but they were flying through his brain. Maybe the potion was still having an effect on him. His eyes landed on her sparkling eyes and his heart stalled for a brief moment. She was an angel, an angel from heaven. Ladybug was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and there was no doubt that he'd always think that about her.

She was smiling at him now and the way her lips moved whenever she smiled or talked made it somewhat hard for him to concentrate at times. If only one day, he should lightly rest her chin in his hand and close the distance between their faces with a calming and loving kiss. He had the chance to have that happen last night… if only he hadn't messed it all up. Chat shook his head. It was for the better. He wanted to experience his first kiss with the girl he loved when she was just as eager to kiss him back. He knew it would happen sometime or-

"Chat?"

He snapped back into reality and stared at her, confused. He mentally slapped himself when he realized he had been daydreaming. The longer Ladybug studied him, the more pink his cheeks became. "S-Sorry, what did you say?"

She chuckled and swung her yo-yo in circles. "Ready for patrol?"

Chat Noir nodded, getting into position. "I'm always ready for you, M'lady."

* * *

 **Annnnnd we're finished! Thanks for reading! :)**


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